Jason Merrells joins the cast of Twelve Angry Men

VILLAIN OF THE YEAR in COURTROOM DRAMA as JASON MERRELLS leads TWELVE ANGRY MEN

For four weeks only JASON MERRELLS – one of TV’s most popular actors – will lead TWELVE ANGRY MEN, as they prepare to give their verdict in theatres around the UK, following a record-breaking run in London’s Garrick Theatre, where the production was hailed by The Sunday Telegraph as “The classiest and most intelligent show in the West End”.

Jason will play juror number 8 – the role made famous by Henry Fonda – for a strictly limited season during a short break from television where he’s enjoyed a number of starring roles. Jason’s start to TV success was in hit hospital drama Casualty, where he played the popular Matt Hawley for over three years. He went on to star as stylist and salon owner Gavin Ferraday in the hugely popular BBC drama Cutting It which made him a household name. He then starred as headmaster Jack Rimmer in the BBC’s Waterloo Road for two years, prior to him being voted Villain Of The Year at the British Soap Awards for playing Declan Macey in Emmerdale. Other TV appearances have included A Touch Of Frost, Queer As Folk and Clocking Off.

Taking his place on the jury alongside Jason is fellow TV bad guy ANDREW LANCEL, best known for playing villainous businessman Frank Foster in Coronation Street. Returning from the West End Production are ROBERT DUNCAN, best known for his role as the jargon-spouting chief executive Gus Hedges in Drop The Dead Donkey, ANDREW FRAME, who starred as P.C Hargreaves in EastEnders, DAVID CALVITTO, whose many theatre credits include These Shining Lives and The Odd Couple, MARK CARTER, whose TV credits include Hollyoaks, Utopia and The Knock and SEAN POWER, who starred in ITV’s Secret Diary of a Call Girl and Fright Night 2, and JON CARVER, who has had a recurring role in Doctors, returns to play The Guard.

Forming the rest of the jury will be DENIS LILL, who starred in The Royal and Only Fools And Horses, PAUL BEECH, whose theatre credits include King Lear and A Tale of Two Cities, ALEXANDER FORSYTH, who has starred in stage productions of Porcelain and It Never Ends, EDWARD HALSTED, who starred in Holby City and Jonathan Creek, and GARETH DAVID-LLOYD, who is best known for his role as Ianto Jones in the Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood.

Lauded as one of the great ‘must-see’ movies of all time, Reginald Rose’s TWELVE ANGRY MEN originated as a television play and has been successfully adapted for film, radio and stage. The 1957 Academy Award nominated film version starred and was produced by Henry Fonda. This production, first produced by Bill Kenwright for the West End, is directed by Christopher Haydon and designed by Michael Pavelka.

TWELVE ANGRY MEN follows twelve jurors who have murder on their minds and a life in their hands as they decide the fate of a young delinquent accused of killing his father. But what appears to be an open and shut case soon becomes a dilemma for the twelve, as their prejudices and preconceived ideas about the accused, the trial and each other turn the tables every which way, until the nail-biting climax…